Better Know A Crafter: Tess Hamilton

Tess piqued our curiosity when she asked us to special order loads of orange Lambs Pride bulky for a project. When she came in with this Kraken disguise we almost couldn't handle the awesomeness! She is the most adorable legendary sea monster we have ever seen! The plushies she has been making are pretty dang cute, too.

Tess Hamilton

1) What kinds of crafts do you do?

I knit and crochet.

2) Tell us about the projects you've been making.
I love to knit and crochet plushies. I used patterns from Mochimochi Land and other plush designers. I used Cascade 220 and double pointed needles for them and Lamb's Pride Bulky for the Kracken hat.



3) How did learn to be so crafty?
I learned to knit five years ago with a private teacher. I taught myself to crochet last year.

4) What is your favorite animal?
jellyfish and fancy tigers

Thanks Tess! Happy plushie-makin'!

Wee Woodland, Nest and Lovely Morning!

New fabrics are here--and if you like a dose of cute animals with your fabrics you'll want to come check them out!

Wee Woodland by Keiki is filled with strangely adorable illustrations of rabbits, llamas, snails and birds. We have this collection in pre-cut jelly rolls, charm packs and layer cakes for patchwork fun. Wee Woodland cotton flannels are on their way, too!


Valori Wells' Nest fabrics feature pretty birds and botanicals.


Lovely Mornings by Hoodie features roosters, chicks, cute fruits and mushrooms. Who can resist these perfect mushrooms?

New! Melly & Me Sewing Patterns!

Now in! Kaleidoscope by Australian designer Melanie Hurston, a book full of adorable toy and bag sewing patterns for for kids and adults. We love the house and robot backpack pattern featured on the cover. The book also includes patterns for a stuffed unicorn toy, an argyle patchwork quilt and tons more cuteness!


We are also carrying Melanie's individual patterns for bags and toys. Make one for your favorite little cutie.

Norwood Fiber Farm Trip (Pt 1): Buckhorn Gardens

Jaime and I just got back from a whirlwind tour of Norwood, Colorado fiber farms. We had so much fun getting nuzzled by soft goat lips, hugging baby animals, getting cuddled by sweet horses, munching on organic turnips and getting our relaxation on in hot mineral springs and vapor caves. So much fun that it is going to take several posts to share all the fun.

But before I tell you about the fiber farms, first let's start with our visit to Buckhorn Gardens, an organic farm outside of Montrose, Colorado. It was totally amaaazing!

My mom, Suzan, is a part of their CSA and enjoys farm fresh eggs and tasty vegetables grown in their greenhouse. She took us on a tour of the geo-dome greenhouse. We had to taste test a few things, like tiny nasturtuim leaves that taste like pepper, sweet turnips hiding under greens, and some kind of purple leafy green that tastes like wasabi.

We fell completely in love with the greenhouse dome and wish we could build one in our neighborhood. Does anyone in Baker have an empty lot?

We also visited the chickens while we were there. What cuties! They were friendly little chickies and Jaime even cuddled one while we checked out their colorful eggs. Mom picked up a dozen for us to taste test later and we left some money in the jar for the farmers.

After our farm visit we took a trip to Weisbaden Hot Springs in Ouray to relax in the vapor caves and natural hot mineral springs. When you go into the cave there is this little waterfall room which leads to a little old wooden door in the rock. Through the door is the steamy vapor room with a hot springs pool. OMG. I've never been so relaxed. We were too relaxed to snap any photos--I'm not sure we could have in that super steamy environment--but the cave was unbelievable.

Ok, my next post will have furry animals, I promise.

Norwood Fiber Farm Trip (Part 2) Cute Angora Goats
Norwood Fiber Farm Trip (Part 3) Shetland Lambs and Alpaca

Better Know A Crafter: Nikki Kelly

Welcome to Fancy Tiger's first ever installment of Better Know A Crafter, where you get to meet some of the inspiring & crafty Fancy Tiger customers we get to see every day!

Sooo...let me introduce our first crafter:

Nikki Kelly

1) Tell us about the project you've made. What pattern and materials did you use?
I've made a reversible Chick/Egg toy. It was knit in the round, slightly felted and then sewn together. I used 1/2 a skein each of the Cascade 220 in Yellow and Cream, and some scrap orange and black.

2) Tell us something about the person who taught you to knit.
I learned how to knit from a kit my little sister, Amy, bought me for my birthday in the hopes that I would teach her how to knit. She was 7 at the time, and now she is knitting along.

3) What is your favorite animal?
My kitties of course, but other than pets anything that is small and adorable, like awkward baby giraffes.

Nikki's project is a Mochimochi Land pattern, Which Came First, the Chicken or the Egg? Thanks Nikki! Happy crafting!